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Valentine’s Day: Really Invented To Rip You Off?

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are projected to spend $17.6 Billion celebrating Valentine’s Day… Wow that’s a lot.

That number is so large, it’s got me wondering… what exactly is Valentine’s Day for?

The pessimist claims V-Day is a creation by Hallmark and other retailers to make up for the post-holiday sales hangover. And yet the optimist says it’s a time to appreciate that special someone and remind yourselves why you’re in love.

So in my quest for information, I’ve learned a few things about the origins of this heart-shaped holiday. Apparently there were actually 2-3 Saint Valentines who were martyred in ancient Rome which explains why they decided to dedicate a holiday to the name. However, it wasn’t until the 18th century when the Valentine craze actuallybegan. England was swept with Valentine’s post cards as lovers exchanged cards with clever romantic phrases written on them. The heart of the holiday hasn’t really changed much I guess you could say. But it’s still a bit unclear why the day to celebrate martyrs became a day to celebrate being in love… hmmm…

“The pessimist claims V-Day is a creation by Hallmark and other retailers to make up for the post-holiday sales hangover. And yet the optimist says it’s a time to appreciate that special someone and remind yourselves why you’re in love.
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On the other end of things, the retail business makes a killing selling flowers, candy, candy flowers and whatever else people want to buy to show their sweethearts how much they matter to them. According to the same survey mentioned above, people who celebrate Valentine’s Day spend an average of $126 for the holiday. Hey that’s like a week of groceries! But what about all these guys buying into all this hype? Are they just doing it because they feel like they have to? Or do they want to really please their lady? Either way, take a look in any retail store a few days before V-Day and there’s no lack of men on a mission looking for the perfect gift.